Home > About Us > Press Release March 16, 2012 Hill Country MHDD Demonstrates Measurable Results in New National Pilot to Help People with Schizophrenia Evidence-Based Tools Help Improve Daily Functioning and Increase Treatment Transparency and Accountability  Hill Country MHDD Centers (Hill Country) today announced the completion of a new, evidence-based clinical pilot program that demonstrated improved functioning for people with schizophrenia. As one of 10 community behavioral health organizations to participate, Hill Country found that the use of standardized, evidenced-based tools as a consistent part of routine care helped more effectively measure their consumers’ progress. The program, Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia, was spearheaded by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare (National Council).  28 individuals completed the program at Hill Country, which has served 19 counties of the greater Hill Country area since 1997.  At Hill Country, 11.3% of individuals treated are diagnosed with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder, making the pilot program a particularly valuable endeavor.  “We are all adapting to health care system changes that recognize the value of care over volume of care,” said Linda Werlein, CEO of Hill Country. “This program provided both an effective curriculum, and a way to demonstrate progress.” The program revolved around two evidence-based tools: a group curriculum to help adults better understand and self-manage their mental health condition; and a functional assessment tool, which tracks a person’s ability to independently carry out everyday tasks including nutrition and money management. The tools encourage participants to take control of their mental illness, discuss it with others and monitor progress. Participants said they found this helpful in addressing the misconceptions others may have about them. According to one 49-year-old, who was treated at Hill Country, participating in the program gave her confidence to face her diagnosis and fears.  “I was frightened, isolated and sometimes in denial about my illness,” she said.  “After participating in this program, I’m much more confident discussing things openly with my mental health provider and even sharing what I’ve learned with people around me.”  Linda Werlein, CEO of Hill Country, also believes that the program’s success has potential to leave a positive effect on our local communities. “This program is showing how people living with schizophrenia can become more independent and productive in their daily functioning,” she explained.  “That makes them better prepared to manage their mental and physical health, and helps reduce the amount of time they might otherwise spend in emergency care. It also potentially represents progress in confronting the lack of understanding of schizophrenia faced by people with the mental illness. That’s a true step forward, not only for our consumers and the professionals who care for them, but also the community as a whole.” Key Results: ·         The 10 pilot sites started with a total of 568 clients in December, 2010. o   The average age of participants was 45.7 years, many of whom had already been in treatment for years o   20 percent of participants scored an “inability to function in all areas” on the pre-interventional functional assessment o   50 percent of participants scored “major impairment” in at least five critical areas of functioning in daily activities ·         The average cumulative functional score from all participants rose from an initial 37.76 to 41.07 over the course of six months. ·         Overall, there was a statistically significant gain in three sub-scales: communications, interaction with one’s social network, and coping skills. ·         There was an overall attrition rate of 48 percent, consistent with community based treatment protocols.   A full list of pilot sites participating in the program and a copy of the outcomes report from the Advancing Standards of Care for People with Schizophrenia program can be found at: www.thenationalcouncil.org. Funding for the Advancing Standards of Care pilot program was made possible through a grant from Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. About Hill Country Hill Country MHDD Centers through operation of 10 mental health clinics, a Crisis Stabilization Unit, 8 developmental disability centers, and 8 early childhood intervention centers, provides community based mental health, substance use disorder and developmental disability services throughout 19 counties of the greater Texas Hill Country by promoting independence, community integration and recovery.  Counties served by Hill Country include Bandera, Blanco, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Llano, Mason, Medina, Menard, Real, Schleicher, Sutton, Uvalde, and Val Verde. For more information on Hill Country Community MHDD Centers, please visit www.hillcountry.org. About Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that can impair a person’s ability to think clearly and relate to others. People with schizophrenia may become withdrawn or have difficulty in everyday situations. Schizophrenia typically develops in adolescence or early adulthood, although it may occur later in life. Schizophrenia varies in severity, can be treated and recovery is possible. About the National Council The National Council is a not-for-profit, 501(c) (3) association of 1,950 community healthcare organizations that provide treatment and rehabilitation for mental illnesses and addiction disorders to nearly 6 million adults, children and families in communities across the country.  Learn more at www.thenationalcouncil.org. About Sunovion Sunovion is a leading pharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering, developing and commercializing therapeutic products that advance the science of medicine in the central nervous system (CNS) and respiratory disease areas and improve the lives of patients and their families.  Sunovion is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co., Ltd.  More information is available at www.sunovion.com